I have no idea where someone found a snowsuit in the beginning of May, or why they thought a snowsuit was a good gift for a child who lived where snow had not been seen in well over a decade.

But, two years later, I put that snowsuit to good use.

I woke up on a Sunday morning to the largest recorded snowfall my hometown has ever seen. A whopping four inches of snow meant this day would go down in history as “The Great Blizzard of 1989.”

I remember being very concerned that my parents had decided not to take us to church that morning, mostly because we wouldn’t see our friends. But my mom assured me no one would make it to church that morning. After all, four inches of snow is enough to grind a community to a standstill; if you don’t have snowplows, you have no choice but to wait for the snow to melt.

So, instead of going to church, we did what any child who’d never seen snow before would do – went outside! I wore my snowsuit, now two and half years old, and barely able to fit over me. The mittens and boots were far too small, so my brother wore them, even though they were purple. I remember wearing two pairs of socks, the top pair with lace ruffles around the cuffs, and being surprised to see ice forming around them.

We laid in our blizzard snowfall, making snow angels, until we hit dirt. We made the world’s smallest snowman, which was also just a tad dirty. Later in the day, my mom and I managed to fight our way out to Main Street, where we built another, larger snowman, and waved to the three cars that passed us by.

The quintessential snow day activity is sledding. But, if your house at 14 feet above sea level is one of the highest points around, how do you go sledding? And how do you sled without a sled? Your dad grabs a shingle sample board, ties a rope to it, and pulls you around the block, of course!

Where I live now, it’s unusual for a child of 4 and a half to have never seen snow. But, I’m glad my hometown let me have a glimpse of the fun snow can bring. I love being able to truly remember my first snow, and having limited snow experience made last winter’s snow-pocalypse a lot more fun.

I grew up on an island whose climate can only be described as “sub-tropical.” In high school, we thought 70 degree weather ment it was too cold to go outside and run for P.E.

But, in 1989, it snowed.

Our 3-4 inch snowfall lives in infamy as “The Great Blizzard of ’89.” It is the first and only recorded snowfall for our area. I was 4, a few months away from being five when it snowed and remember trying to make snow angels but hitting dirt. It was not a lot of snow, but it was enough to make a little snowman and for me to wear the entirely too-short snowsuit someone had given me for Christmas two years ago. Really, who gives a kid living in a sub-tropical climate a SNOW SUIT!? I remember we couldn’t drive anywhere because our area didn’t have any snow machines, nor did many people know how to drive in the snow. I also remember wearing two pairs of socks, the kind with the lace around the ankles, and being suprised to see ice forming around them! Because we didn’t have hills or sleds, my dad pulled my brother and I around the neighborhood on a set of roof-shingle samples.

Its been snowing here since Saturday night. It only took us until March to get some snow! Now, I don’t have to be at work until noon, so I am sitting in my PJ’s, watching HGTV and blogging. I love the snow.

Just a 20-something girl living on the East Coast, trying to figure out life.
I'm a wife and mom to two.
I'm trying to rediscover my love for long walks, yoga and pilates. But not hiking. I still don't like hills.
I was raised at the beach, but I don't like the beach. I like to look at it, but I don't like to swim in it, I'd prefer a pool, thanks.
I'm just trying to become the best person I can be -- the woman God wants me to be. That's easier said than done!

E-mail Me!

Contact me at longbrakeliving@gmail.com - I'd love to hear from you!

Hubby is my all-time favorite guy. A perfect mix of serious, sarcastic, laid-back, handy and nerdy, he is the perfect complement to me. I love his strong work-ethic and the way he always loves and supports me through everything. Some of Hubby's favorite things include: hiking, Virginia Tech football, woodworking, and his family. When I married him in July 2007, I had no idea what an amazing journey we were headed on, and how I could come to love him so much more each day.

Our oldest, Colton, is three years old. He is equal parts sassy and hysterical. He loves all things train, car, bus, truck, and machine related. He has a penchant for made-up words and loves to be the clown of his pre-school class.
Our younger son, Nathan, was born this May. He is pure joy and full of smiles! He is such a blessing and a perfect fit for our family.